Signal device



"July 24. 1928.A

G. HULME' SIGNAL DEVICE Filed March z2. 192s' patented duly Eel, 15323,

elif-trice.

GEORGE -IULME, OF DETROIT, IVIXCHGN.

SGNAL DEVCE.

'Application filed March `22, 1326. Serial No. 96,446.

This invention relates to a signal device, ind my invention aims to provide a device lthat maybe used to reglulat-e vor control traliic. Als a signal, the device may be located in astreet, on a corner, at the intersection oi roads or streets, or any place where it may be readily observed, to indicate to pedestrians or the operators of vehicles that tratlic is in av certain direction. lThe device can also be used as a gate or barrier at railroad or street crossings, and its operation may be controlled from a` central station or from some remote point, whereby the device may serve as a unit ot' a tratlic system.

My invention further aims to provide a strong' and durable signal device embodying oscillatory or wig-Wag members which may be intermittently turned to indicate directions ot trailic. rEhe device is constructed to withstand the elements to which it ymay be exposed by being located on a road or street, aud easy access maybe'had to all parts'ot the. device for lubricating `and repairing purposes.

The signal devicemay be hereinafter specihcally described and then claimed, andV reference 'will now be had to the drawing, whereiny Fin-ure 1 is a vertical sectional view ot the greater part oi the device, partlyrin eleva tion and partly broken away;

Figure is a plan of the signal device, with its oscillatoryY members partly broken away; y

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line lll-JH of Figure 1, and

Figure i is a similar view takenon the line lilmll, ot Figure 1.

ln the crawingij, the reference numeral 1 denotes a tubular base that may be of any desired height and supported trom a suitable foundation (not. shown). Theupper end of the tubular base is connected, as at 2, to a tubular couplingw member 3 supporting a tubular pedestal t containing opposed bearings 5 tor a transversely disposed crank shaft 6. The crank shaft 6 has a central crank portion 7 a sector `rear 8 at one side ther-cot, and a sprocket wheel 9 at the opposite side ot the crank portion 7. p

l'llotatable within the pedestal 4, on the bearings is a hub portion l0 of a` horizonff" 11, and this rear A, if ff .by the screw 13.

tained within the pedestal Ll by a sleeve 12 held in place by a screw 13 extending through an enlarged end 1a ot said sleeve.

Mounted in the enlarged end 14 of the sleeve 12 is a bearing 15 retained in place Journaled in the bearing 15 the stein portion 16 of a rotary head 17 sealed on the bearing` 15. rlfhe inner end of the screw 13 extends into an annular groove 18 ot the ste1n16 to pevent vertical displacenient of the head 17.

Slidable through the head 17, the stem 16, and the gear hub 1G isa pitman or connecting' rod oiE substantially square cross seotion, at the lower end of which is a fork 2O oi'ieratirely connected to the crankportion 7 of the crank shaft 6, so that when the crank snat't t3 is driven the pitman 19 may be recip- .roc-ated axially of the sleeve 12.

livotally connected tot-he upper end of the pitman 19, as at 21, are the inner curved ends ot oscillatory membersV E22 which may be in the form ot semaphore arms, gates or barriers, or signal. supports. The oscillatory members 2,2 are in opposed relation and nor-v mally bear on anti trictional rollers orinem bcn 23 supported by the rotary head'17.V

ln the tubular base 1v is a bracket 24 on which is mounted a conventional form of electric motor Q5 having` one or more leading-in conductors 26 so that the motor may be operated from a suitable source oi' electrical energy and its operation controlled from a central station or some place remote from the pedestal. The motor has its armature shaft 27 provided with a small sprocket wheel 28, and trained over the sprocket wheels 28 and 9 is an endless sprocket chain The wheels 9 and 28 and the chain 29 constitute power .transmission means by which the motor 95 may conven iently drivethe cran shaft b. The motor 2.3 may be intermittently placed in operation to rotate the crankshaft 6 and reciprocate the pitinan 19 to cause the members 22 to oscillate or wiipwag for a predetermined period of time; @ne position ot the oscillatory members 22 is that of beingv horizoir tal, as shown in tull lines in Figure 1, so that said oscillatory members may serve as a closegate or barrier, or may indicate stop for traliic in one direction, and go 'for tratin anothm d ction, anotherjaesition purposes.

ot the oscillatory members QQ has been show n partly by dash lines in Figure 1, and if these oscillatory members serve as gates or barriers, then the dash line position indicates an open position of the or barriers.

1t, ivill bc seen in'Figui-e 1 that the fork /O has a round stud 32 which `enters the lover end of the pitman 19. The stud has an annular groove 33 receiving' a tangential pin 8i passed through the pitman, whereby relative rotary movement between the pitman and thc torl is permitted. intervals in the operation of the device, the rotation of the crank shaft 6 driven by the motor 525 brings the sector S into mesh With the gear 1l.` uhereby the hub 10 turns the rotatable piiman 19 and the head 16.

The sector gear 8 is proportioned relative to the horizontal gear 11 so that when the crank shatt G is driven the sector gear 8 will intermittently mesh with the horizontal gear 11 and impart rotation to the pitman 19, ivhich being;` other than round imparts4 rotation to the'head 17. Obviously the os cillatory members 22 will be swung` either to `the right orthe left, according to the operation of the motor 25, and to define right angular positions of the head 17, the lower end ot the stem 16- has grooves or notches 30 engageable by a detent 31 ivithin the sleeve 12. The detent is resiliently supported and is automatic in its action. It does not interfere with continuous operation oit the head 17 should said head be so Operated.

In so much that electrical current has been conducted into the base 1 tor operating the motor therein, the same source oi' current maybe utilized 'lor electrical illuminating devices that may be attached to the oscillatory members Qi). or located on the head 17, the pitman 19 or some other part of the signal device. i. deem it unnecessary to illustrate such signal lamps,but desire it to be understood thatl my device is capable of night use by being equipped with suitable illumination means. l attach considerable importance to the ifact that the operating` mechanism of the signal device is fully protected againstthe elements, and that the device Vincludes oscillatory as We l as rotary elements for signal t is to be understood that the structural elements entering into this device are susceptible to such changes and modifi- At certain with and adapted `to be oscillated during rotation of said head, a pitman slidable in said head and connected to said'oscillatory members, and means in said pedestal adapted to cause rotationof said head and intermittentlyV reciprocate said pitman to cause oscillationA 'oli said members.

2. A signal device as called :tor in claim 1 wherein said means includes an intermit- Atently,actuated gear and a pitman reciprocable in said gear and said rotary head, and additional means by which said pitman and gear may be driven.

3. A signal 4device comprising` a rotary head, I a reciprocable pitman extending?r through said head, oscilla-tory members carried by said pitmanand adapted to be oscillatcd by movement of said pitman relative to said head, pitman operating means, and means operatable through the medium of saidy pitman operatingmeans for imparting rotation to said head. i

4. i-r signal device comprising a pedestal, a rotary head supported 'from said pedestal, a pitman reciprocable insaid head, oscillatory` members carried by said pitman, and operatively engaging said head so as to be oscillated by rcciprocation of said pitman, a crank sha'lt adapted for reciprocating said pitnian, caring` driven by said crank shaft andadapted by virtue ot said pitman to impart. rotation to said head, and means for driving` said crank shaft.

signal device comprising a pedestal, an intermittently driven gear therein, a reciprocable pitinan extending through said gear and adapted to rotate ivith said gear, a source of poiver adapted to drive said gear and reciprocate said pit-man, an oscillatory member carried by said pitman, means engageable bv said member to cause oscillation thereof when said pitman is reciprocated.

6. A signal device as called for in claim 5, wherein said last mentioned means includes a rotary head through ivhich said pitman extends and .imparts rotation thereto.

IIn Itestimony whereof l affix mv sienature. 

